Malmesbury railway station explained

Malmesbury
Status:Disused
Borough:Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Country:England
Coordinates:51.5886°N -2.1001°W
Grid Name:Grid reference
Platforms:1
Original:Malmesbury Railway
Pregroup:Great Western Railway
Postgroup:Great Western Railway
Western Region of British Railways
Years:17 December 1877
Events:Opened
Years1:12 February 1951
Events1:Closed
Years2:2 April 1951
Events2:Reopened
Years3:10 September 1951
Events3:Closed to passengers
Years4:12 November 1962[1]
Events4:Closed to goods

Malmesbury railway station served the town of Malmesbury in Wiltshire, England, between 1877 and 1962. The station was on the short Malmesbury branch from the Great Western Railway's main line from to .

Background

See main article: Malmesbury branch. In 1864 the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Railway Company was authorised to construct a line from to through Tetbury and Malmesbury. Work started on 1 July 1865, but due to disagreements between the two major shareholders, the Midland Railway and the Great Western, work was stalled, and in 1871 the company was wound up.

Operations

In 1872, the government approved a cut-down plan to build a line from to Malmesbury, opening on 18 December 1877. Unusually, the station was accessed by a short tunnel, and beyond the town, perhaps with the original scheme development to Stroud in mind. After the Severn Tunnel was constructed to directly connect to South Wales, its line crossed the Malmesbury branch. In 1933, connection was made with this line, and the additional line truncated.[2]

On 10 September 1951 the line closed to passenger traffic, and to goods on 11 November 1962,[3] after which the tracks were lifted.The station site today is a small industrial estate and a car park.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Clinker, C.R. . Clinker's Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots in England, Scotland and Wales 1830-1977 . October 1978 . Avon-AngliA Publications & Services . Bristol . 0-905466-19-5 . 92.
  2. Web site: Malmesbury Railway . 2013-10-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131019110226/http://davidforward.com/contents/local-history/malmesbury-branch-line-railway/malmesbury-railway/ . 2013-10-19 .
  3. Web site: Rail.